Athlete's Foot opens UK store

The world's biggest franchised athletic footwear retailer, The Athlete's Foot, has made its debut in the UK, setting the scene for a national roll-out.

Based in Llandudno, Wales, the 1,200 sq ft (110 sq m) store opened on Saturday. It is the first of 25 likely to open over the next five years in the UK. A second will open in Greater Manchester in January.

Sales and operations director Tom McNally said The Athlete's Foot is targeting a gap in the market for specialist brands such as Asics and New Balance. Applecross Retail, which owns the UK licence, will manage northern stores, while those in the South will be franchised.